They are painting some of their streets—trial roads in all 15 council districts to be precise—white. (Actually, it's more like an off-white/gray—but the principle is the same.) By covering blacktop asphalt with a more reflective "cool pavement" treatment, LA Street Services claims they'll reduce temperatures on a summer afternoon by ten degrees or more. In fact, Curbed Los Angeles reports that a similar scheme in Encino reduced surface temperature on a parking lot by a whopping 25 to 30 degrees.

Of course, immediate localized surface temperatures are probably less important than how the build up of heat on hard surfaces impacts the overall urban microclimate, and associated energy use. And an EPA study on the subject suggests that covering 35% of LAs roads with reflective pavement could reduce average air temperature by a full degree fahrenheit.

And the even better news is this: Air conditioning contributes to the urban heat island effect too, meaning any immediate reduction in temperature should mean an additional benefit of less waste heat being dumped from buildings and vehicles too.